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Introducing:

The Courageous Life Podcast

with Joshua Steinfeldt

MISSION: The aim of this podcast is simple: To begin a global conversation that offers insights, inspiring stories, and practical strategies which might empower people to tap into their courage, overcome their fear, and pursue what matters most to them in life, work, and love.

STRUCTURE: To accomplish the mission I have put together a simple structure for The Courageous Life that has 3 primary components -

Interviews with courageous thought leaders in diverse fields that include but are not limited to: positive psychology, mindfulness, coaching, healthcare, leadership, social activism, education, athletics, and more.

Profiles in courage - or what I am calling the "everyday heroes" segment of the show. There will be episodes with a variety of individuals who have demonstrated profound acts of courage in the face of a wide range of challenges or adversities.

An emphasis on practical tools and strategies for overcoming doubts and fears, and for navigating uncertainty.

TEAM: I would like to send out a huge thank you to the incredibly talented Matt Donner who created and composed the original music for the Courageous Life and who acts as the Executive Producer for the show. To learn more about Matt, his work, or services he offers please visit www.mattdonner.com

I would also like to express gratitude to world renowned photographer Chris McLennan and his wife for generously donating the original photo we are using as the background image for the Courageous Life Podcast logo and for their encouragement to make this project happen. For more about Chris and his amazing work click here

SUPPORT THE SHOW: The Courageous Life Podcast has taken hundreds of hours of dedication, and hard work to make happen. I remain passionate about the mission, and hope to continue to make episodes for a long time to come. With your help, I have no doubt this is a realistic goal. If you find this project valuable and would like to support what we are doing there are a few ways you can help

Donate - click on the donate now button below and you will be taken directly to our donation page. Every little bit helps!

Amy C. Edmondson is the Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at the Harvard Business School, a chair established to support the study of human interactions that lead to the creation of successful enterprises that contribute to the betterment of society. Edmondson has been recognized by the biannual Thinkers50 global ranking of management thinkers in 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017 and was honored with the Talent Award in 2017. This year (2019) she is nominated for the Breakthrough Idea award. Her work on psychological safety is considered to be thinking that has the potential to change the world.

Dr. Edmondson studies teaming, psychological safety, and leadership, and her articles have been published in numerous academic and management outlets. Her new book,The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation and Growth (Wiley, 2018), offers a practical guide for organizations serious about success in the modern economy. Edmondson received her PhD in organizational behavior from Harvard University.

In this episode we explore:

Amy's unexpected journey to discovering the importance of psychological safety

Why fear is not an effective motivator for learning, teamwork, and innovation

A closer look at organizations like Pixar and how they have built strong psychological safety within their teams

How psychological safety is a catalyst for courage

Practical strategies for creating psychological safety

How leaders can make, or break, psychological safety within organizational cultures

Kevin Cashman is a best-selling author, global thought leader, CEO Advisor, keynote speaker, and pioneer of the ‘grow the whole person to grow the whole leader’ approach to transformative leadership. He is the founder of LeaderSource Ltd, and the Chief Executive Institute® recognized as one of the top three leadership development programs globally. In 2006, LeaderSource was acquired by Korn Ferry, where Kevin is now Global Leader of CEO and Executive Development across 130 offices that touch the lives of 100,000+ leaders monthly. Kevin has advised thousands of CEOs, senior executives and senior teams in more than 80 countries worldwide. He has written six books including Leadership from the Inside Out, named the #1 best-selling business book of 2000 by CEO-READ and is now used at over 150 universities globally. You can find out more about Kevin at www.cashmanleadership.com

In this episode we explore:

The importance of, and challenges with, bringing your whole self to work

Why the art of asking questions is one of the most effective ways to influence

The courage it takes to grow authentically as a leader

The importance of storytelling to inspire

Why courage may be the most important quality in leadership development

In this episode I sat down with Dr. Brianna Booth, the Director of Positive Sexuality at Stanford University. Compelled by a deep belief that we as a society can do better on the challenges of sexuality, Brianna aims to transform the cultural conversation to more fundamentally level-up on both the challenges and possibilities of sexuality. She earned her PhD in Human Sexuality Studies, focusing her research on the lived experience of sexuality and the skills of navigating it well. Brianna is working with students to create a series of programs for undergraduates--Beyond Sex Ed--which take a whole-person, whole-culture approach, centering on student storytelling, the skills for growth and connection, and a recognition of sexuality as an integral part of what it is to be human.

In this episode we explore:

Why listening is the first and most advanced skill related to sexuality

Brianna’s courageous story of starting a movement to expand how we conceive of and discuss the topic of sexuality

The importance of storytelling and how it fosters connection, intimacy, and courage

In this episode I sat down with bestselling author, TED speaker, and acclaimed psychologist, Dr. Meg Jay. I had been looking forward to this conversation for years, and it did not disappoint. In this episode we explore Meg's wisdom and insights related to her recent book, Supernormal - The Untold Story of Adversity and Resilience, including:

How we can build resilience

How love can transform the effects of adversity and trauma (and the science behind it)

The relationship between courage, empathy, and deep listening

How to support friends, colleagues, and loved ones in the face of adversity

How to challenge the stories we tell ourselves and how learning this skill leads to resilience

In this episode I sat down with acclaimed author, trauma expert, leadership coach, and renowned mindfulness teacher, Dr. David Treleaven. This wide-ranging conversation included a variety of topics related to his recent book Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness including:

David's experiences and challenges with meditation

Why David is so passionate about looking at mindfulness from a trauma informed perspective

The danger of looking at mindfulness as a panacea and why mindfulness is not always beneficial

Ways to engage in meditation and mindfulness practice that maximize the benefits while minimizing potential downsides

What trauma is, and why David believes that a greater understanding of trauma can make the benefits of mindfulness even more powerful for individuals, coaches, teachers, and leaders

Ways to stay engaged and present in difficult conversations

How organizations and leaders can build more positive and inclusive cultures

In this episode I had a moving and powerful conversation with four members of the Parkland community who were impacted by the school shooting that took place at Marjory Stoneman Douglas Senior High School on February 14, 2018. In this conversation MSD students - Danielle Gilbert and Danny Tabares, Adult Chair of March for Our Lives Parkland - Samantha Novick, and community organizer and respected meditation teacher Shelly Tygielski courageously share their experiences of that day and the road to healing that they have been on since. This is one of the most hopeful and inspirational conversations that has taken place on this show (and that I have ever witnessed). I hope you enjoy.

**This show contains content that some may find to be upsetting, disturbing, or triggering. Please listen at your own discretion. Thank you.**

In this episode we explore:

Their experiences of Valentine’s Day 2018

Insights about transforming pain into purpose

Staying hopeful when times get tough

How they have found the courage to be compassionate, and to love after experiencing hate

Thomas Crumis an acclaimed author, martial arts instructor, and presenter in the fields of conflict resolution, peak performance, and stress management. He is known throughout the world for The Thomas Crum Approach, taught through best-selling books (including The Magic of Conflict), audio and visual materials, and live presentations of varying length and designed to help people become more centered under conflict, more resourceful when facing challenges, and more effective under stress. For over 30 years, Tom has delivered dynamic presentations to management and employees at all levels. Some of his clients include Amgen, Sony Entertainment, Intel, the Navy SEALS and the National Football League. You can find out more about Tom at www.aikiworks.com

Rhonda V. Magee, J.D. is a Professor of Law at the University of San Francisco, and an internationally recognized thought and practice leader focused on integrating Mindfulness into Higher Education, Law and Social Justice. She also is a leading expert on how mindfulness can be an effective way to reduce implicit bias. You can find out much more about Rhonda's remarkable background in her bio located in the show notes.

In this episode we had a deep and authentic conversation that covered a wide array of topics related to mindfulness, race, and social justice including:

Rhonda’s perspective on building organizational cultures that are diverse and inclusive

Implicit bias, what it is, how it works, the research behind it, and how mindfulness can be an effective means for reducing it

How Rhonda teaches mindfulness and compassion to law students

Practices for engaging in meaningful and difficult conversations about race, politics, and other often challenging issues

Rhonda’s story, and why she is passionate about mindfulness as a means for addressing race and social justice issues

In this episode I sat down with Frank Ostaseski and had a wide ranging and deep conversation about courage, authenticity, and living life fully by embracing all aspects of one's experience. Frank Ostaseski is an internationally respected Buddhist teacher and visionary cofounder of the Zen Hospice Project (the first Buddhist Hospice in America). He has lectured at Harvard Medical School, the Mayo Clinic, Wisdom.2.0 and teaches at major spiritual centers around the globe. His groundbreaking work has been highlighted on The Oprah Winfrey Show, and honored by the Dalai Lama. He is the author of The Five Invitations: Discovering What Death Can Teach Us About Living Fully.

In this conversation we explore:

-Background on Frank’s pioneering work in end-of-life care

-Frank's remarkable stories, and the lessons he has learned, about living with greater meaning, purpose, and love from the thousands of people he has sat with as they went through the process of dying

-Practical ways of finding rest in the midst of the fast pace of modern life

-How mindfulness can be useful as a means for dealing with fear and finding courage

Thupten Jinpa holds his Ph.D. from Cambridge University and has been the principal English translator to the Dalai Lama since 1985. He has translated and collaborated on numerous books by the Dalai Lama including the New York Times Bestsellers Ethics for the New Millennium and The Art of Happiness. He is also the author of A Fearless Heart: How the Courage to be Compassionate Can Transform Our Lives and is the main author of Compassion Cultivation Training (CCT) developed for Stanford University in 2009.

In this conversation -

How compassion differs from empathy

How compassion can be trained and the some of the neuroscience behind it

What Jinpa has learned about compassion from the Dalai Lama

How compassion training may be the next big wave (particularly in healthcare settings) after mindfulness

How compassion may be able to help bring us together, overcome tribalism and decrease polarization

Mark Nepo is a world renowned poet, story teller, teacher, New York Times best-selling author and past guest on Oprah Winfrey’s: Super Soul Sunday. In this episode we sat down to explore many topics from his teachings, his life, and his new book, More Together Than Alone, including:

Loneliness and it’s antidote

Building community, connection, and belonging

Mark’s creative process and how he approaches writing

Mark’s journey with cancer and how that has impacted his life and his work

Drs. James and Janice Prochaska, and I, sat down to discuss a wide variety of topics related to their new book, Changing to Thrive:

How we can successfully make changes in our lives, around our health, or in our work that we may have put off, or struggled with in the past

Overcoming fear and other obstacles that hold us back from changing

How to skillfully support people as they go through the process of change

Background:

James O. Prochaska is Director of Cancer Prevention Research Center and Professor of Clinical and Health Psychology at the University of Rhode Island. He is the author of over 400 publications, including four books, Changing to Thrive, Changing for Good, Systems of Psychotherapy, and The Transtheoretical Approach. Additionally, Dr. Prochaska is internationally recognized for his work as a developer of the stage model of behavior change and is the founder of Pro-Change Behavior Systems. He has also recently been recognized as one of the top three most preeminent clinical psychologists. For more about James or Janice Prochaska please visit www.jprochaska.com

One of the most published authors in the field of social work, Dr. Janice M. Prochaska has led research and development teams for health behavior and organizational change programs as the CEO at Pro-Change Behavior Systems, Inc. from 1997 – 2015. Her collaborations include applying the Model to cutting edge issues like simultaneously reducing multiple risk behaviors and enhancing multiple domains of well-being, healthy weight management in children and adults, preventing bullying, keeping individuals out of trouble with the law, and advancing careers with populations like women scientists.

In this episode I sat down with Professional Coach, Peace Corps Volunteer, Entrepreneur, and Storyteller, Lisa Daron. Lisa has set off on a mission she calls "The Connection Cure" to see if she can heal herself from chronic illness by traveling across the country and forming meaningful moments of connection with people she meets along the way. For more on The Connection Cure please visit www.theconnectioncure.com

Lisa Daron Grossman has been a practicing certified Professional Coach from the Coaches Training Institute and the International Coaches Federation since 2010. She is a practitioner of Positive Psychology, holds her MFA in Creative Nonfiction writing, BA in Anthropology, and a certificate in Mind-Body Medicine. As a returned Peace Corps Volunteer, Lisa draws on fifteen years of learning and experience working with non-profits and NGOs in the public health and arts sectors of Swaziland.

Prior to working as a coach Lisa worked with storytelling as a documentary filmmaker, a copywriter for the Smithsonian channel, a New York City tour guide, and a professional team builder for over ten years.

Alison Canavan is an award winning author of wellness book “Minding Mum”, a health and wellness coach, Master NLP Practioner, motivational speaker and mindfulness facilitator. Having travelled the world as one of Ireland’s most successful international models for nearly two decades, in recent years she has devoted her time to her greatest passion: true health and wellbeing.

Helping people to join the dots with their health and wellbeing is Alison’s primary goal and passion. Her interest in nutrition began in 2009 when she started studying Fitness Nutrition Coaching under NESTA (National Exercise and Sports Trainers Association), in the United States. She graduated with distinction in Nutrition and Health Coaching from Irish Institute of Nutrition and Health (IINH). She holds an Advanced Diploma in Diet and Nutrition therapeutics. She is currently continuing her studies in mindfulness at UCLA.

Alison has become a highly sought after motivational speaker, regularly being invited to deliver talks and workshops on health, wellbeing, meditation, mental health and sobriety at conferences, festivals and events for both the general public and corporate clients. She spoke at The Mindful Life Conference in Washington in April 2017. She has lectured in Trinity College on the module of Motherhood and Mental Health. She also delivers talks on stress in the workplace to CEO’s and business leaders across the country.

Alison has a weekly wellness column called ‘NIRVANA’ in The Sunday Independent in Ireland and a column in Positive Life Magazine. She has contributed to numerous publications through the years including You Magazine, VIP Magazine, The Daily Mail and many more. She is also a regular contributor to radio and TV shows. For more on Alison visit www.alisoncanavan.com

Roshi Joan Halifax, Ph.D.,is a Buddhist teacher, Zen priest, anthropologist, and pioneer in the field of end-of-life care. She is Founder, Abbot, and Head Teacher of Upaya Institute and Zen Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She received her Ph.D. in medical anthropology in 1973 and has lectured on the subject of death and dying at many academic institutions and medical centers around the world. She received a National Science Foundation Fellowship in Visual Anthropology, was an Honorary Research Fellow in Medical Ethnobotany at Harvard University, and was a Distinguished Visiting Scholar at the Library of Congress.

She is Director of the Project on Being with Dying, and Founder of the Upaya Prison Project that develops programs on meditation for prisoners. She is also founder of the Nomads Clinic in Nepal.

A Founding Teacher of the Zen Peacemaker Order and founder of Prajna Mountain Buddhist Order, her work and practice for more than four decades has focused on engaged Buddhism. She is the author of multiple books, with the most recent being: Standing at the Edge: Finding Freedom Where Fear and Courage Meet.

James Doty, MD, is a clinical professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at Stanford University and the director of the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education at Stanford University School of Medicine. CCARE is a research center that examines the neuroscience of compassion and altruism collaborating with Stanford colleagues in neuroscience and psychology, as well as throughout the world. He trained in neurosurgery at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and completed fellowships in pediatric neurosurgery at Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia (CHOP). He also spent 9 years on active duty service in the U.S. Army Medical Corp. Dr. Doty is the author of the New York Times bestseller, Into the Magic Shop: A Neurosurgeon's Quest to Discover the Mysteries of the Brain and the Secrets of the Heart that has been translated to over 30 languages. He is also the senior editor of the Oxford Handbook of Compassion Science and Presently is developing collaborative research projects to assess the effect of compassion training on immune function and other physiologic determinates of health, the use of mentoring as a method of instilling compassion in students and the use of compassion training to decrease pain. His work has been quoted in a variety of publications including the New York Times, the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal. He speaks frequently throughout the world on the science of compassion. For more about Dr. Doty go here.

Leah Weiss, Ph.D., MSW, is a teacher, researcher, and meditation expert at Stanford University specializing in the application of mindfulness and compassion in secular contexts. Her perennially waitlisted course at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business, Leading with Mindfulness and Compassion, is breaking new ground in an MBA program already famous for innovation. In 2015, she was given the role of Women in Management Facilitator at Stanford business school. As Principal Teacher and Trainer for Stanford’s Compassion Cultivation Training program, founded by the Dalai Lama, Leah developed the curriculum to train more teachers to meet a growing interest in compassion as it applies to people’s work, family, community, and selves. Her first book, How We Work, has recently been released. In addition to her wide range of speaking and consulting work for leading organizations and healthcare settings, Leah also works with the Department of Veterans Affairs, where she teaches mindfulness and compassion to help veterans cope with post-traumatic stress, and to help VA staff around the Bay Area cope with the stress of their jobs helping veterans. For more on Leah go here.

Daniel Lerner is an in-demand speaker, author, strengths-based performance coach and instructor of the science of happiness, one of the most popular undergraduate courses at New York University. Employing cutting-edge research into positive psychology and peak performance, Dan works with students, established and high-potential performing artists, athletes and numerous Fortune 500 companies and executives around the world helping them manage stress and anxiety, achieve well-being, uncover their core strengths and define and realize their own brand of success. With a deep passion for helping the next generation of talent achieve their utmost potential, Dan, along with his co-author and teaching partner Dr. Alan Schlechter, penned U Thrive: How to Succeed in College (and Life). For more on Dan visit www.daniellerner.com

Sharon Salzberg is a central figure in the field of meditation, a world-renowned teacher, and New York Times best-selling author. She has played a crucial role in bringing meditation and mindfulness practices to the West and into mainstream culture since 1974, when she first began teaching. She is the cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts and the author of ten books including the New York Times best-seller, Real Happiness, her seminal work,Lovingkindness, and, Real Love, her latest release by Flatiron Books. Acclaimed for her humorous, down-to-earth teaching style, Sharon offers a secular, modern approach to Buddhist teachings, making them instantly accessible. She is a regular columnist for On Being, a contributor to Huffington Post, and the host of her own podcast: The Metta Hour. For more on Sharon visit www.sharonsalzberg.com

Mike Erwin is the CEO of The Character & Leadership Center and co-founder & president of the Positivity Project - a non-profit organization with the mission to empower America’s youth to build stronger relationships. He is the co-author of Lead Yourself First by Bloomsbury Press (2017). The book focuses on how solitude strengthens people’s character---and their ability to lead with clarity, balance and conviction. Mike is also a Lt. Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves, assigned to the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he serves as an Assistant Professor in Leadership & Psychology.

While in graduate school at the University of Michigan in 2010, Mike founded a non-profit organization named Team Red, White & Blue (Team RWB). Team RWB’s mission is to enrich the lives of America’s veterans by connecting them to their communities through physical and social activity. Team RWB has 138,000 members and 212 chapters across the world.

The former managing editor of The New Criterion, Smith is also an editor at the Stanford University's Hoover Institution, where she advises the Ben Franklin Circles project, a collaboration with the 92nd Street Y and Citizen University to build meaning in local communities.

Through executive education Johann Berlin is committed to harnessing people's passions by strengthening the connection individuals, teams and organizations have to themselves, to each other, and toward greater shared purpose. Prior to joining TLEX Institute, Johann scaled boutique triple bottom line and social sector companies from concept to high-impact with a special focus on: innovative and disruptive wellness, leadership, innovation initiatives with projects being mentioned in Harvard Business Review, New York Times, Psychology Today, Washington Post and Wharton School Of Business Journal. Johann has given talks at places like: TEDx London, GE HealthCare, Stanford Center for Compassion, Microsoft, Intuit, Shell, AMEX, Amazon, and the Wharton School of Business, among others. He also is a writing contributor for Harvard Business Review, Business Insider, Virgin Unite, Real Leaders, Thrive Global, and the Huffington Post. For more on Johann visit: http://tlexinstitute.com

Dr. Fred Luskin is the author of multiple books, including the bestseller, Forgive For Good. He is also the Director of the Stanford Forgiveness Projects, an ongoing series of workshops and research projects that investigate the effectiveness of his forgiveness methods on a variety of populations. The forgiveness project has successfully explored forgiveness therapy with people who suffered from the violence in Northern Ireland, Sierra Leone as well as the attacks on the World Trade Center during 9/11. In addition, his work has been successfully applied and researched in corporate, medical, legal and religious settings. He currently serves as a Senior Consultant in Health Promotion at Stanford University and offers lectures, workshops, seminars and trainings on the importance, health benefits and training of forgiveness, stress management and emotional competence throughout the United States. For more on Dr. Luskin visit: learningtoforgive.com

Dr. Judson Brewer is a thought leader in the field of habit change and the “science of self-mastery”, having combined over 20 years of experience with mindfulness training with his scientific research therein. He is the Chief of the Division of Mindfulness, Director of Research at the Center for Mindfulness and associate professor in medicine and psychiatry at UMass Medical School. He has published numerous peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, trained US Olympic coaches, and his work has been featured on 60 Minutes, TED (4th most viewed talk of 2016, with over 8 Million views), Time magazine (top 100 new health discoveries of 2013), Forbes, BBC, NPR), Businessweek and others. A psychiatrist and internationally known expert in mindfulness training for addictions, Brewer has developed and tested novel mindfulness programs for habit change, including both in-person and app-based treatments for smoking, emotional eating, and anxiety. He is the author of The Craving Mind: from cigarettes to smartphones to love, why we get hooked and how we can break bad habits. For more on Dr. Brewer visit: www.judsonbrewer.com

ep. 08: Miracle messages and using social media as a force for good - an interview with kevin adler

Kevin Adler is the Founder and CEO of Miracle Messages, an award-winning nonprofit that reunites the homeless with their loved ones. To date, MM has facilitated over 100 reunions, with 25% getting a person off-the-streets. Their vision is to reunite 1 million people by 2023. For his work, Kevin has been named a TED Resident, TED Speaker, MassChallenge winner, and "Emerging Innovator" by American Express / Ashoka. Miracle Messages has been featured widely, including in the New York Times, NPR, People, on a Shinola billboard in Times Square, and NowThis, whose video reached 26 million views. As a speaker, Kevin has given talks at TED, Stanford, UC Berkeley, Occidental, Singularity University, Microsoft, and Zappos, to name a few. For more on Kevin check out kevinfadler.com

ep. 07: unlocking creativity and the courage to be authentic - an interview with dr. scott barry kaufman

Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman, is an author, researcher, speaker, and public science communicator who is interested in using psychological science to help all kinds of minds live a creative, fulfilling, and meaningful life. He is a professor of positive psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, and author and/or editor of 7 books, including Ungifted: Intelligence Redefined and Wired to Create: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Creative Mind (with Carolyn Gregoire). His writing has appeared in The Atlantic, Scientific American, Psychology Today, and Harvard Business Review, and he writes a blog at Scientific American called Beautiful Minds. Kaufman is also host of The Psychology Podcast.

ep. 05: mindfulness and the courage to move into discomfort - an interview with cory muscara

Cory Muscara is on a life-long journey to understand the causes and conditions that lead to suffering and wellbeing. As founder of the Long Island Center for Mindfulness, Cory's work is primarily in the field of mindfulness meditation. In 2012, he spent 6 months in silence practicing Vipassana meditation as a Buddhist monk in Burma under the instruction of Sayadaw U Pandita. Cory currently serves as faculty at Columbia Teachers College where he teaches mindfulness to school leaders from across the country, and is also an assistant instructor for the Master of Applied Positive Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. He offers keynotes, mindfulness training and mindfulness-based leadership consulting to businesses, schools and healthcare systems, and is a regular guest on the Dr. Oz show in the topic of mindfulness meditation. You can learn more about Cory here

Sunny Grosso is a happiness consultant, a Zappos culture specialist, and a thought leader in the culture movement. She helped found the Delivering Happiness consulting team where she co-built the model, developed the approach and led the coaching team. Passionate about creating positive work cultures, she travels the world speaking, coaching and consulting on sustainable culture building. She brings an informed, lively brand of energy to her clients, focused on revealing and transforming their best authentic culture from the individual to the team to the organizational level.

Cindy Pury sits on the faculty at Clemson University where she is a professor of psychology and serves as an undergraduate coordinator. Trained as both a clinical psychologist and a researcher, Cindy started out with an interest in studying cognition and fear, looking specifically at threat appraisals. In 2003 Cindy began to wonder about whether there was a different way people might cope when faced with threats. This led to her work to better understand courage from an empirical standpoint. Cindy is now one of the world's leading thinkers on the science of courage. In conjunction with Shane Lopez, she co-edited the first major book on the psychology of courage which compiled leading scientific and philosophical underpinnings of this ancient virtue. She was also instrumental in bringing together the first courage summit in 2007. An event sponsored by the American Psychological Association that brought together researches to discuss the topic. Cindy has also published a number of peer reviewed scientific journal articles on the subject of courage. You can find out more about Cindy here

Paddy Steinfort is the founder of Toughness.com and a performance coach to elite athletes. A former professional athlete himself, Paddy stayed in the world of elite performance after his playing days ended, serving as a physiotherapist, coach, and manager for a variety of professional football teams in Australia. Through these experiences he saw a huge need to help talented people on the human side of performance and decided to enroll in the Master of Applied Positive Psychology program at the University of Pennsylvania. Under the guidance of Dr. Angela Duckworth, he ran research on performers. Specifically looking at how to train and shape environments to help these individuals handle stress better. He has since provided performance improvement program design and coaching for teams in the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NCAA Division 1 Football. Paddy also authored the bestselling book Breakfast With Bails - What a Dying Coach Taught Me About Life, Learning, and Leadership. For more on Paddy go here

ep. 01: overcoming adversity, sisu, and a 1500 mile run to end the silence around abuse - an interview with emilia Lahti

Emilia Lahti, MsC, MAPP, is a doctoral candidate at the Aalto University School of Science and Technology in Helsinki. She is passionate about action research, social justice, and unearthing new, innovative ways to apply scientific knowledge to solve humanity's grand challenges. She holds master's degrees in social psychology (University of Tampere, Finland) and applied positive psychology (MAPP, University of Pennsylvania) and is an alumna of the Singularity University Global Solutions Program located at NASA Ames Research Park in California. Under the guidance of Dr. Angela Duckworth, Emilia completed her master's thesis on the Finnish construct of 'sisu'. She is also the founder of the Finnish Positive Psychology Association. To find out more about Emilia, her mission, or how to support the SISU Not Silence campaign check out www.emilialahti.com